Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Brew Your Coffee The Gourmet Way With These Russell Hobbs Coffee Makers

If you're the type of consumer that will not settle for second best, then the Russell Hobbs range of coffee grinders and coffee makers might just be for you. If you haven't already discovered them.

The Russell Hobbs range is an exceptional one. The gourmet coffee machine range is called the Caffe Torrino range. Russell Hobbs invites you to ?experience drinking quality coffee with Caffe Torrino.? This specialty range includes a variety of the highest quality coffee products, including grinders, filter machines, espresso machines and a combination machine.

Some of the models to look out for include the Digital Coffee Maker, the Black Satin Coffee Maker, the Fast Brew Coffee Maker, the Thermal Coffee Maker and the Stainless Steel Thermal Coffee, and also the Comi Coffee Maker.

Russell Hobbs quality and innovation
For superior quality, but also reliable performance, the Russell Hobbs machines are a good choice. For coffee aficionados, quality and reliability are equally important. A coffee lover needs to know that their daily dose of coffee with always be there and will always be brewed to the finest quality. It doesn't make sense investing in good quality coffee beans if your coffee machine is second rate.

Apart from that, style is also important for modern home owners with taste. The coffee machine you chose to invest in will always be visible in your kitchen. This means that the external shape and style of the machine is almost equally important to its functionality. A coffee machine must be pleasing to the eye and then also produce coffee that is pleasing to the nose and tongue. Coffee drinking is a ritual that is fundamentally an aesthetic one.

Russell Hobbs coffee models
Russell Hobbs produces a vast variety of coffee machines and coffee makers to suit all tastes, requirements, and budgets.

The Stainless Steel Thermal Coffee Maker model, for example, is a machine that produces 10 cups in a thermal carafe. It boasts a 24-hour programmable digital clock and timer and sports an attractive blue analog clock face. You get an automatic pause and pour function, so that you can grab you cup of coffee without waiting for the brew to complete. You also get an automatic shut-off function. You can select the brew strength, too.

It's a stylish machine, made with stainless steel and the thermal carafe keeps your coffee warm.
Apart from the Russell Hobbs Coffee Maker, another great machine is the 15 Bar Pump Espresso machine. With that much pressure you can make a perfect espresso. In fact, you can make two espressos at once with this model, which is very easy to use.

Drinking Coffee Is A Historic Endeavor


As you sit and drink your morning java, it may help you to know that you are imbibing a long-respected beverage.

While most of us think of coffee as a single species of plant and a single type of beverage, it is interesting to learn that there are more than 500 genera and more than 6,000 species in the Rubiaceae family of plants of which coffee is just one genus. Most of these varieties are either coffee shrubs or tropical trees that grow upwards of 30 feet. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer. Of these many types, Robusta and Arabica coffees are the main types used.
Historians believe that coffee originated in Ethiopia but spread into Arabia. Its ability to help people stay alert made it a useful secret weapon at first.

Iced coffee seems like a fairly new innovation, but really it isn't. It is believed that coffee was not originally a hot drink. It was originally drunk with the grounds. Arabic peoples used it in religious ceremonies and as a medicine, but not as a beverage until about the year 1000 A.D. Eventually people tried to drink just the liquid and leave the grounds alone. As people discovered how coffee helped them to stay alert, coffee became more popular. As civilization progressed, coffee houses were created so people could enjoy the beverage and socialize in groups.

Gradually people discovered the pleasures of hot coffee. They began drinking it in their homes, usually as part of a ceremony. Coffee became a very important part of Arabic culture. It is believed that at least one Turkish woman was allowed to divorce because her husband refused to give her coffee. For a time, it was forbidden to take coffee out of the Muslim world.

However, explorers brought coffee from Constantinople, Turkey, to Venice, Italy and thus began coffee's conquest of Europe. Originally, it is said that Catholic priests forbade the use of coffee, because of its origins in Arabic/Islamic culture. Some said coffee was given to the Islamic peoples by God because they were forbidden to drink wine. One report says one of the popes investigated coffee's properties and was so enticed by the aroma he tasted it, even, some say, baptizing it. At any rate, his approval of the beverage lead to the spread of its use across Italy and then the rest of Europe.

Whether baptized by the Pope or not, coffee and its caffeine is truly considered to be a blessing by many. By 1940, the U.S. was importing 70 percent of the world's coffee crop.
Today coffee can be found in just about every nation on earth and is clearly one of the world's most popular drinks. That's a fun fact to savor with your morning brew.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

A Review of the Green Mountain Energy Income Opportunity

Green Mountain Energy Company is a company that prides itself on providing cleaner energy than your usual utility company provides. While some companies, particularly those who only represent a single industry (i.e. solar power, wind energy), will sell you equipment and teach you how to harvest natural energy yourself, The company buys electricity and power from companies that produce a number of different types of energy. They buy solar energy, wind energy, biomass, water power, natural gas and geothermal energy from other companies and feed all of it into one central power grid.

Green Mountain Energy reps then sell the energy to customers who are looking to use cleaner energy. While using the energy provided by them they will certainly be more expensive than the power bought from a typical utility company, it is worth it if you are committed to living a greener lifestyle.

Green Mountain Energy markets its energy to customers who live in Texas. They market their energy through individual sales representatives. These independent sales reps work in Texas and only sell the product to customers who live there (though someday this may change). The Representatives earn their money primarily by signing up new customers. The Reps earn a bonus for every customer they convert to companies usage. They also earn a residual income from the monthly bills paid by the customers they have signed up.

This could be a risky venture, in that you won't know how many customers you are going to sign up in one day. There could be some heavy selling involved to get potential consumers to leave their current utility company and convert to Green Mountain Energy. Not everybody believes in "living green" and trying to convert those people is almost impossible. The real money to be had is in the monthly residuals. Of course, to get those residuals, you need to sign up new customers and those customers need to continue to use the company as their utility provider. This could be a very time intensive process.

As of press time, the official website for potential Green Mountain Energy Representatives (http://www.gmrep.com) was not available for perusal, so details on becoming a Representative are few. We could not find information on multi level marketing opportunities or how often the representatives get paid. Our official recommendation is to spend some time exploring the official Green Mountain Energy representative site as well as the official corporate site to learn more about the company, what you might be selling and why it is important to sell it.
As time goes on more and more people are willing to "go green" or to attempt "going green." There is no doubt that Green Mountain Energy won't be a solely Texan endeavor for long. Anybody who has lived through rolling blackouts is probably ready and willing to jump on the system.

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee For The Holidays or Anytime

It's not often that we are able to locate a great value on high value items. Even when you visit our favorite electronic retailer, the price breaks on brand name big ticket items are usually still far outside most of our reaches. Over the last few months, we have canvassed the internet looking for great deals on different items, my focus was gourmet coffee. A quick query online confirmed what I had already known - Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is one of,if not the most expensive coffee in the world and is revered as the holy grail of coffee.

Not to worry. Unlike those teaser sales at your favorite stores, which aim only to get you in the door, we have found a bright spot. A little site called BlumCafe. They seem to carry one of the oldest brands of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee from the Wallenford Estates in Jamaica.
This coffee in the US can go for as much as $60/lb. Average price seems to be around $40/lb based on our research. At BlumCafe.com, you can find this same coffee, packaged and prepared when you order, for under $30/lb. This is a true bargain considering the aforementioned prices. The site claims that your coffee is prepared upon ordering but talking with company representatives, we learned that sometimes, you can get lucky and snatch up a pound or more of this great coffee without incurring the 5-10 business days lead time that is customary for coffee coming from Jamaica.

This Just-In-Time approach to their business guarantees the customer that they are getting the freshest coffee, it also does not hurt that the price is this great either. They have rolled out fresh new packaging for the holidays and are still able to be less than most of their competitors. We especially like the mini barrel packaging which you can get at any time. I have my empty mini barrel sitting on display in my kitchen. You should check them out if you are planning on giving coffee as a gift this year or if it's just for your own daily or occasional consumption.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups - Selection Guide



K-Cups?



K-Cups are cups sealed with coffee, tea or cocoa and are used with Keurig coffee makers. Keurig unique system gives you the opportunity of brewing hot beverages such as coffee, tea and cocoa without mixing flavors. But for now, I am going to focus on coffee.



Each coffee K-Cup contains a filter with previously measured coffee, perfectly sealed and protected, providing the exact portion for brewing a perfect single cup. You don't have to think about handling filters, grinding beans, measuring coffee and the best of all, forget about messes.
You can find a wide variety of K-Cup brands, but I am going to talk to you about my favorite


one: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups



Why Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups rules?
Because you can choose from a wide variety of the finest freshly roasted coffees (my favorite, since I am a coffee lover), all of them with the quality, taste, and delicious aromas that will exceed your expectations. The best of all, you can find them all in one place.


Have Fun:



If you are an adventurous person choose different flavors every time and have fun with it, be creative, discover how each unique flavor will wake up different feeling and experiences (maybe you can become a coffee expert), or if you are a determined person who knows what you really like, choose the best K-Cup that will suit your taste.



Here is a Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups selection guide:
• Extra Bold K-Cups Coffees: Contains 20% more coffee than Regular K-Cups, this one is great if you like strong and full body tasting coffee.


• Signature K-Cups Coffees: The best and most delicious blends of flavored coffees and decaf.


• Seasonal K-Cups Coffees: The best flavors of the season.


• Decaf K-Cup Coffees: Same great tasting coffee without the caffeine.


• Single Cup Samplers: An assortment of 3 different K-Cups in one box.


• Teas and Cocoa: Indulging, rich and creamy cocoa, passionate and inspiring teas.
Roast Style:



• Light Roasted Coffees: Light bodied coffee, milder tasting, subtle flavors.


• Medium Roast Coffees: Balanced body flavor, slightly sweeter than light roast.


• Dark Roast: Spicy taste, rich body, slight acidity.



Make your K-Cup experience the best, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cup is an outstanding choice with a great selection of coffees, and don't forget that a wide variety of teas and cocoa of superior quality are also available.


Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups - My Top 5 Favorites



Today, as I was sitting on my computer ready to write about my top 5 Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups, I realized I was in deep trouble, the reason: which are my top 5 favorite Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups?


Seeking for my answer and some inspiration, I decided to go to the pantry to take a look at my Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cup personal collection, and after reviewing them, I came to a conclusion: yes, I am in deep trouble... I love them all, each one is so unique, tasty and aromatic, but I had to focus on my objective, and after analyzing for a while I finally found a way to sort them out and came up with my top 5 special favorites:

My Special Top 5 Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups:


-French Roast K-Cup:

• It has a very intense deep roasted flavor and rich taste.

• I love to have it at work, It wakes up my senses and keeps me alert, and reminds me of the moment when I was enjoying my mug and I received the news that I got the big promotion I was waiting for.


-Dark Magic Extra Bold K-Cup:

• It has a rich and aromatic flavor with the qualities of espresso, contains 20% more coffee than regular K-Cups!

• I call it "the eye opener K-Cup", I usually have it in the morning, the rich aroma and delightful intense flavor gives me the boost that lets me start my day on the right foot.

- French Roast Decaf K-Cup:

• It has a very intense deep roasted flavor and rich taste without the caffeine.• I usually have it at night, I love strong coffee flavors so this is my #1 choice for a great tasting coffee that won't alter my sleep.

- Mocha Nut Fudge K-Cup:

• Chocolate fudge, roasted nuts and caramel flavor.

• I call this one "my decadent guilt free dessert in a mug K-Cup", it says it all.

- Southern Pecan K-Cup:

• A buttery pecan flavor.

• My mother calls me a "Pecan Lover", I love everything that has pecans on them, and this is by far the best pecan flavored coffee I have ever tasted.


Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups are so great that it was so difficult to choose between them, but I finally made it, my best of the best K-Cup choices.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups - Learn The Advantages Of Buying Them Online



Looking for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups?
Surely you can find them in some stores (if you are lucky), but I am going to hit you with the questions that I made to myself at some point, when I was desperately seeking for my Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups at a store's isle:


• Do I have to deny myself the pleasure of choosing from the wide variety of K-Cups that Green Mountain Coffee Roasters offers?• Do I have to choose and put up with just what the store offers me?• How about if what they have is not what I want?


And the essential question is:
Where to buy Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups?


I struggled with the issue for a while until I realized something...why not buy them online?
YES!!!


So why buy Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups online?


• You can take your time, decide what you want in the comfort of your home, with a hot steamy mug of aromatic hot coffee by your side (my tip for you: coffee inspires me).

• You can review all the options Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cup has to offer (all of them, really!), read the descriptions and choose with patience the one that fits your mood.

• You can discover by yourself the wide varieties of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups that you can find exclusively online and that you can't find in stores.


What do you get when you shop Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups online?


• The assurance that you will have 24/7 access to your favorite Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups (internet is awesome).• With a click of a button you can order your favorite Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups and get them delivered right at your door.• You can get follow up information about the latest coffees, promos and offers of new products that you will not receive in stores, for example: Seasonal Products, Samplers, Limited Edition Coffees, Special Reserve Offerings, Coffee Recipes...• The coolest part: you get to be among the first to learn about them (exclusive online offers only).


So come on cheer up! Stop worrying about going store hunting for your K-Cups, don't ever miss a chance to have the best, with just a click away at the comfort of your home and/or office. You can enjoy the best and most exclusive of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups every time, delivered just for you.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Make Green Mountain Coffee Your Choice



The Green Mountain Coffee company was formed in the beautiful Vermont mountains as a small coffee café. Not too long after the company first opened their doors, the demand for their top quality brews grew so quickly that they were forced to expand beyond the four walls of their small café, and soon became the multi-million dollar mail order coffee business. The e company has been providing the coffee needs of the United States since 1981. Offering everything from specialty coffee roasters to fresh ground organic coffee.

Constant Supply of Coffee

Even though their coffee may be wonderful, the company has never quite received the status of its well known counterpart, Starbucks. Though without having the superstar status of the Seattle coffee chain, Green Mountain Coffee has been quietly winning the hearts of coffee lovers around the world. They are offering everything from specialty coffee roasters to organic coffee blends, the company has even branched into a monthly, mail order coffee club that will make
sure coffee lovers are always supplied or will not having to go without their favorite brew.
Creating A Better World - One Cup At A Time

The company is not only offering organic coffee to help better serve the world. The company is also good Samaritan to dozens of charities and charitable causes; including the March of Dimes, the Epilepsy Foundation of Vermont, and the United States Olympic Committee. The Green Mountain Coffee company in an effort to do even more for the environment has even been instrumental in organizing river clean up days in their local area; doing their part to help keep the Winooski River clean.

A special Wildlife Blend coffee has created the company in addition to their efforts in their local Vermont community. This special blend is organically grown under canopies of trees native to the areas of Mexico and Peru where they are grown; and which provide homes to the many native birds which help to keep the bugs away from the plants, thus eliminating the need for pesticide use. This special blend was formed in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation.

It doesn't matter whatever your tastes in coffee, and whatever your coffee needs are, it the Green Mountain Coffee company has a little bit of something for everyone. Their prices are more than reasonable, you can also order a catalogue simply by going to their website. If you or someone you know happens to a coffee lover, check out the Green Mountain Coffee company today!

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters - Coffee Diversity to Choose From



Yesterday I was having coffee with one of my friends and as we sipped our delicious Green Mountain Coffee K-Cup (I was having a Dark Magic Extra Bold K-Cup and he was having a French Roast K-Cup) we were discussing about the wonders of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters K-Cups, all of the sudden he asked me: does Green Mountain Coffee Roasters sells other style of coffee rather than K-Cups? I love this coffee but I have a regular Coffee Maker (he is seriously thinking about buying a Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker) and I was wondering if I could find the same delicious coffee for my Machine... my answer was immediate, OF COURSE you can find a great selection of coffee for your Coffee Maker, to make the story short, we took out the laptop and bought three bags of his favorite Green Mountain Coffee (he was so happy).


Here is a concise guide of the coffee assortment Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has to offer:


First you have to know that many of the Green Mountain Coffee variety you can choose are available in:


K-Cups
Ground
Whole bean
Decaf


If you buy ground coffee you can choose the grinding type you wish (depending on the Coffee Making System you own):


Infusion Grind
Manual Drip Grind
Auto-Drip Grind
Espresso Grind
Turkish Grind
K-Cup


Green Mountain Coffee diversity:


Single cup selection:
Choose from a wide variety of K-Cups
Each K-Cup contains the exact portion of coffee, tea or cocoa to brew a perfect single cup every time
Use K-Cups with Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker


Signature Blends:
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters consumer favorites!
Is a special selection of coffee and flavors


Signature Blends variety:
Light Roasted Coffees
Medium Roast and Blends
Dark Roasted Coffees
Decaffeinated Coffees
Flavored Coffees
Flavored Decaf Coffees


Seasonal Flavors and blends:
Limited Edition Seasonal coffees!
The best flavors of the Season in a cup


Fair Trade and Organic:
Fair Trade Organic Coffees: outstanding premium products that helps improve the life quality of farmer communities around the world, and by been organic they help maintain the biodiversity and reduce global warming
Exceptional Quality Premium Product, Exceptional Cause!


Newman's Own Organics:
World's premium handpicked Arabica beans coffee
Fair Trade Certified Organic coffee
Leader in the organic coffee category
Paul Newman donates all of his profits to charitable causes!


Single Origin Coffees:
World's best beans
Exclusive production and limited in supply
Awesome products, wide selection!!! Enjoy!!!


Thursday, May 1, 2008

Coffee Roasting



The process of roasting coffee beans is what brings out the flavor of the coffee and develops the characteristics of the coffee. When roasting coffee beans, they are roasted in order to bring the coffee to a perfect balance of acidity with just the right sweetness. A light bodied, sweet coffee is normally roasted lighter than the full bodied coffee with the chocolaty tastes.


As the coffee beans are in the roasting process, there are chemical and physical changes to the coffee. Some changes include the expansion of the coffee beans, loss of moisture, caramelizing and of course a change in the color of the coffee. Once the beans start losing moisture and expand, they will make a popping sound, which in the coffee industry is known as crack.
Two types of roasting coffee are Art, the second is Science. One other type of roasting coffee is a combination of both art and science.


Art roasting is where the roast master relies on sound, sight and smell of the coffee to determine when the coffee beans are roasted to perfection. It takes many years of experience to achieve a level of master coffee roaster.


Science roasting is based on scientific data. The roast master takes data including temperature and time to determine the degree of roasting to gain the same color with each batch of roasted coffee beans. A combination of both art and science are used where coffee is produced in mass.
Another step in roasting coffee beans to achieve a perfect blend of coffee is the “cupping” process. This is where the coffee is tasted in similar fashion to tasting wine. When the roasted coffee bean is cupped, samples are pulled from the process and measured into several different cups. Each cup of coffee beans are ground separately and boiling water is poured over the freshly ground coffee beans. When the coffee grounds rise to the top of the cup they trap the aroma in the cup. The cupper will then scrape away the coffee grounds and smell the coffee aroma. The coffee is then tasted and rated on all the characteristics including flavor, acidity, aroma, body and any taste defects.


There are basically three levels of roasting coffee beans. They are light roast, generally used in a milder coffee and many times sweet coffees. Medium Roast is one of the most common roasting levels of roasting coffee beans. Most of the medium roasted coffees are done when they reach their second crack. And lastly there is the dark roast. This is the level of roasting coffee beans well beyond the second crack and will appear oily on the surface. This gives the coffee a very full bodied and strong flavor.


For you the coffee drinker, you have many choices when it comes to roasted coffee beans. The best way to tell which coffee is right for you is to sample many different types of coffee.

Coffee Roaster Buying Guide



Coffee roasters are mechanical devices to make coffee so much better! These are available in many different sizes and shapes. The prices of these coffee roasters can range from just around twenty dollars up to nearly one thousand dollars! The more expensive a coffee roaster is doesn't necessarily mean that it is any better. It's a good idea to purchase a coffee roaster from a reputable company.

How complicated do you want?
Remember, coffee roasters are not a type of coffee maker, such as a Bunn. Some people really enjoy being scientific when making coffee, they might like to blend their own coffee. Roasters allow different degrees of mixing. Some are quite simple devices which are stove top devices. These are basically just simple saucepans with a tight lid.
These systems contain a crank which can be used to mix the beans while boiling them. It is essential to stir the beans to prevent them burning on the bottom of the pan. If you are choosing one of these types of coffee roaster then you should choose a design which has some form of thermometer.

You can also get more advanced (and expensive) roasters which can do everything for you. You just need to put some beans in, push a few buttons and then walk away while it does its job. These advanced models have a thermostat built in which allows them to control the temperature exactly. The whole process is controlled by a timer which means it will shut itself off when it is complete.

How effectively do they heat and circulate air?
By far the most popular form of coffee roaster are ones that work in the same way as a popcorn maker. They use hot air which is passed through the beans while they are continually moved around. This makes sure that every bean gets the same heat and prevents them from burning. Most of these can also filter out the skins from these beans.
Most of these coffee roasters have glass lids which allow you to watch as the process is completed. Most allow you to vary the degree of roast by twisting a dial which adjusts the temperature.

It is very important that coffee roasters circulate the air evenly so that the beans can be roasted properly. Better coffee roasters allow you a lot of control over the temperature and circulation of heat.

Drum roasters ensure an even circulation of heat and air by rotating the beans continuously in a drum. These use gravity to move the beans rather than a stirrer.

If you like to watch while the machines roast your coffee beans then you should carefully choose a coffee roaster which has windows. These windows are particularly important if you want to experiment with the blend. If you want to roast lots of beans then you should be aware that it will generate huge volumes of smoke.

Coffee roasters only used to be used by professionals; however they are now becoming more and more popular for use in your home. They are particularly useful for people that entertain a lot.

Coffee Bean Roaster



The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a “must have” in today’s kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home.
Roasted coffee is very susceptible to oxygen damage when it sits on store shelves and in café bins for days or weeks at a time. It spells disaster for specialty coffee beans creating stale, flavorless coffee.


Today, the coffee bean roaster is a coffee enthusiasts dream, bringing the freshness and quality of roasting fresh gourmet coffee at home. It is the beginning of a new era in coffee history and a major step in the return of great tasting coffee.


You'll be surprised to learn how easy and fast it is to roast your own specialty coffee beans at home. Once you experience the flavor of fresh gourmet coffee like this you'll want to share it with everyone you know.


There are basically two types of home coffee bean roasters: fluid bed roasters and electric, radiant heat drum roasters.


Fluid bed roasters work like hot air popcorn poppers. They have a glass-roasting chamber so you can watch as the coffee beans are roasted and stop at the desired roast. These are good for beginners and a great way to get started in home roasting.


The radiant heat drum roaster is more like the professional coffee roasters use. These do not allow you to watch as the beans are roasted so you have to roast by smell or sound.
How about having a roasting party with friends or the family? Home roasting is a lot of fun. You can try some of the best coffees in the world and roast them just the way you like them. What's even more fun and tasty is creating your own custom blends.


So if you haven't tried home roasting, get ready for an amazing treat. Your coffee drinking experience will never be the same once you taste the fresh gourmet coffee you made with your home coffee bean roaster. “Enjoy”